Guest Speaker Les Novak; Genesis 5 – the genealogy.

Intro. A beautiful picture takes time and attention to shoot it. A drive-by picture from the car just will not compare. It is kind of like the genealogy of Genesis 5 – we skip it and get on to where we are heading. Rather, genealogy is really an eternal step ladders that lead us to the birth of our savior Jesus Christ.

The big idea. If we immediately run right by the genealogy, we will miss the blessed walk to God’s eternal bigger picture.

I. Within the curse, hope is found in Gods sovereign grace. Vv1-5

Chapter five starts with "these are the generations of…" Chapter four is done and this starts a new section. There are two genealogies in Genesis, and this is the first one. Even though man continues to sin, God is faithful to his promises. This is a record of names showing the faithful, promise keeping nature of God.

II. God remembers the names if those who are faithful to Him. Vv 4-31, Revelation 20:11-15

God has interest in people. This godly line is where the Seed comes through. These nine patriarchs all lived together. As followers of Christ, God has recorded our names like this as well by his sovereign grace. This is the passage in Revelation that Seth read to us today. God is a personal God who speaks personally to man. We see this in all of scripture.

III. Let’s take that walk. What does it mean to walk with God? Vv21-24, Hebrews 11:5-6

Enoch walked with God. Then, after a full life he did not die, but rather he just went to heaven. He walked in the same direction as God. Enoch followed His words and commands. Hebrews 11 explains this further. Enoch was a man of faith who believed God existed, and that He rewards those who seek Him. John 3:16 says true belief results in eternal life.

Elijah also lived in the Old Testament time and was taken to heaven not through death but by a chariot of fire. His walk with God on earth continued right to heaven.

Our redeemer has released death for us all. Even though we die, the power of death is broken by Christ.

IV. Gods eternal big picture.

Lemech hoped that with every descendant that that would be the one offspring promised by God to Adam and Eve in the garden to crush the serpent. It wasn’t. Each birth was not THE Seed until Christ, who DID come in this lineage!

Conclusion

Are you one of those running away from God? This life is as good as it is going to get for them who turn from God.

Those who walk with God like Enoch, have a city beautifully made and prepared for us, a city whose maker and architect is The Lord!

However, the good news is that we fall short of walking with God perfectly. Why is that good news? Why is it good news that we are not to aspire to be just like Enoch? Because there is ONE who did walk perfectly with God, Jesus Christ, and this perfect record counts for all the followers of Christ! Take time to walk in silence before your God and listen to his big picture.